Fire-alarm hydrant



Jan. 23, 1923.

E. E. FERGUSON.

FIRE ALARM HYDRANT FILED IAN-6,1921- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1'.

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E'ILED JAN.6.1921.

Jan. 23, 1923:.

w w w $1! v Jan. 23, 1923. 1,443,254.

E. E. FERGUSON. FIRE ALARM HYDRANT.

, FILED JAN. e, 1921. I a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

rates is equipped.

Patented Jan; 23,1923.

EDWARD ERASTUS FERGUSON, OF- BORTSMOIITH, v'rneiniin, Assienon on dim-fires t TO C.-VANFLEMING, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

owe /awe Beit 111i mthat IMEDWAIW H I, I 'I' sit 'en, t he Uni d States .r'e-' sirfliifi' g'et Portsmouth linthe' coiirityof i '0;- folk and" State of Virginie, hia've'invente'd certain/new, and :nsetul Improvements in Fire Ala rrn Hydrti'nts'; ehdl do hereby "declere the following to bee fnll clea r, end exact description of the invention," such as will enzibleothers skilled in the art to which it, apperte'iiis to make and nsethe seine. lhefpresent invention relates to improve: ment in fire ehi-r n hydrant apperetuS; "and has {on object top r ovide an zippagreitnster siiniilte'neously minin in an alztfin fend for opening; a valve to perinit water to flow into a fire hose with which the appe- A other 010mb of t intention gsit es assembling the ztppalratns in a portable structiueaiidof coordinating the hose with the fire alarm structure sothat when the hose no z zle is 'reposing in itsprope'r place, with s in the c loinet which encloses. the various parts otthe apparatus, it will hy Virtue of its presence there, effectively preyent the alarm from being tiirned in; hilt upon its renfoy'el the arrangement is such as to imnedigitely turn in the alarm.

A tiirther object of the invention is to provide for the automatic release of the weter valye \Vhen the door "ofthecabinjet is opened and to insure the Valves closing when the door is shut. e a t Other objects of the invention consist in improving the apparatus generally; 'un'it the parts ithin a small compass capable of being situated within e ca'hinet of a portehle character and groiip'ing the parts for I coordinate operation,

\Vith the foregoing an view, the invention will be more fully, de-

, scribed hereinafter, end will he more particularlypointed out in the claims appended hereto, i I wln the drawings wherein like symbols refer to like or cerresponding parts throughout the severalviews. t t v Fig.1 is a View in front elevation of an irnproi ed fire elerm'hydrant apparatus eon; strncted -21QQO1CliI1g touthe present invention with the door of the cabinet thrown open;

" sin l ts:

(1 other ohjects in Fig.v"6 is eh enlarged trieg'niie" 6 5 tipnel iew showingthe locking 'de'v itie for thedfo'or of the jcahin'et'; H

Fig. 7 is a. fragmentary "s''ctiofil throughthe left side of the cabinet esshowh in 1 and virtually with the left wall removed; H V i H Fig'iBiis a ver tic iil 'c'ntrhl k r; e si rselyth ugh hee o Fig; 9 isf:1 plan f vi e'w with p art s sh sectio'n lof the wetervelye'end iissocla ed partsfthe valve being closed; I Fig. 10 isasiinilar View with the Valve p w i Fig 11 is is fragnie ntziry sectiqhal View v through zp r lef e bifits dwinsit-h 30 hose nozzle and fire alarm in the ifiittirpo; s1t1on;

Fig; 1 2'is 1 siinihir view showing iipparat'n's in E sehtionil iiiew' tsikeii througha ptirtion of the top of ealoiiiet w ft e b lt: f dld ifie is l lf;

F153;. 15 is a Vertical sectional Viewthrou'gh the block for holding the frangihlecylinders otthe lock; and r I H p F 16 is it perspective View o foiie'of the cylinders. I

Referring more particnlarly to thQ (lrziwj ings, 1 designates thegbztse, Q the toppKthe back, and 4 and 5 the genjds'efthe cehinet made or suitable materiel endjdiniensions for housing the various parts of thee iijoztrti tus, and 6 represents a doonh ingedet 7.' ,to the side 5 of the cabinet and'ttd'a'pted to' closethe cabinet indictited; F igs ji end 5. The door 6 is provided with a lo'ckingbolt ioo 7 and with transversely disposed angle iron braces 8 and 9 on its inner side. The looking bolt 7 is carried by a lock casing 10 which extends on the inside of the door 6 and is adapted, when the door is closed, to project into a recess 11 made in the side of the cabinet and behind a frangible cylinder 12, see Figs. 5 and 6, for instance, of. porcelain, glass, or the like material.

One of the cylinders 12 is shown 'in Fig. 16, it being preferably hollow and of suitable dimensions to be slid vertically into the eyes 13 of a keeperholder 14 which is pivoted at 15 on the interior of the cabinet and is acted uponbyaspring 16 which normally holds the eyes 13 in the position shown in Figs. Land 6 where the cylinder 12 or keeper may be: supported at its lower end upon-a shoulder 17 made by recessing the cabinet' wall 4 at this point. The eyes 13 are spaced apart in order to expose the major portion of the frangible cylinder 12 on the exterior of the cabinet so that it may be broken to permit opening of the door 6 which is locked by means of a key which may beheld by the proprietorof the building'in which the apparatus is installed or by an authorized member of the fire department' To assist in the ready breaking of the cylinder 12, I provide arod 18 of metal or. some h-eavymaterial, see 'Fig. 1, which may be for convenience provided with an eye 19 engaging about a hook 20 secured to the exterior wall 4 of the cabinet and to avoid theft of the rod 18 I preferably engage one end of a chain 21 with the eye 19 or other part, the opposite end of the chain being affixed to an eye or other part 22 which may form a portion of the hook-20 or at least may be so associated therewith that a single fastening means 23 may be employed to hold both the hook and the eye 22 on the cabinet wall. j

The chain 21 will be of alength suiiicient to permit of the manipulation of the rod 18 for the purpose of striking the cylinder 12 a suh'iciently severe blow to shatter it and re move it from the path of the bolt 7, whereupon the door 6 be pulled open.

Within the cabinet is arhose holder 24 of any suitable construction ,adapted to sup port in folded condition the hose 25.

- the instance shown, the hose holder 24 is pivotally associated with a rod 26 which extends vertically through the cabinet and is secured to the top and bottom thereof. This arrangement of mounting permits the hose holder 24'to be swung outwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 4 with a view to permitting the ready 1 release of the hose in case of emergency. One end of the hose isyconnected to a service pipe 27 extending through the top 2 of the cabinet and being placed in con nection With a suitable source of water supply. In this pipe 27 is included a valve casing 28 which is shown to better advantage in Fig. 9 and is provided with swinging gate valve 29 operating about a pivot point 30 to which is connected. an actuating arm 31 provided with a bifurcated outer end in which is mounted a pulley 32.

Notches 33 are also made in the bifurcated portions of the arm in order to receive a latch dog as later explained. A bar 34 is secured to the arm 31 adjacent the pivot 30 and extends outwardly therefrom at substantially a right angle, the bar being provided at its free end with'a downwardly bent extremity '35 constructed and positioned to be engaged by the angle iron brace 8 atthe top portion of the door 6 when the latter is swung to a'closed position.

A handle 36 also projects downwardly from the arm 31 for the purpose of enabling it to bemanually swung back and forth to open and close the valve 29. Thelatch or locking dog above referred to is shown more particularly in Figs. 13 and 14 and comprises a pawl 37 having a reduced toe 38 of a size to engage in the notches 33 and being beveled as indicated at 39 forwardly of the toe 38. The dog swings about the smooth portion 40 of a bolt 41 which is threaded for the remainder of its length and is provided with a head 41 upon which the lower side of the dog rests.

A nut 42' threaded upon the bolt 41 engages the upper side of the dog and confines it in place upon the smooth portion 40 of the bolt. Any desired frictionalpressure may be brought to bear upon the dog by screwing or unscrewing the nut 42. A set screw 43 is carried by the nut 42 for the purpose of holding one end of a coil spring 44 which is. wound about the shank of the bolt 41 above the nut 42 and has its opposite end 45 bent downwardly and engaged through the dog A suitable number of convolutions 44 are provided to give the spring the requisite strength to constantly urge the dog 37 to swing inwardly. The bolt 4l extends upwardly and through the top 2 of the cabinet, it being provided with washers 46 and47 and with nuts 48 and 49. by which itis rigidly secured to said top 2. Aneye 50' is swivelly mounted upon the dog 37 as by means of a screw 51, the eye being provided for sliding engagement by a rod 52 which is hinged to they door 6 as indicated at 53 so valve'a'rm 31 when the door e is opened. A cam portion 55 j is provided on the upper portion of the rod 52 and projects in the path of an abutment 56 depending from the top 2 o'fthe cabinet. j

The function of the abutment 56in conjunction with the cam 55 is to depress the '1 od'52 whereby to free the shoulder 54 from the eye 50, it being understood that the rod '52 is of lesser height than the height of the slot in the eye '50 so that, once the shoulder 54 is moved downwardly to a sufficient extent, it may be received through the eye and thus release the dog which is then urged rearwardly or inwardly by its coil spring 44.

- The end of the rod 52 is over-turned to provide a lug 57 see Fig. 2, for engaging the side wall of the eye 50 to prevent entire withdrawl of the rod 52therefrom.

A cable 58 is secured at one end to a ring 59 embracing a portion of the hose 25 andat its other end it issecured to a bracket 60 fastened to the rear 3 of the cabinet.

The 'cable is carried forwardly from the. bracket 60 and is formed into a bigh't about the pulley 32 on the valve arm, it being then carried backwardly and over a p-ulley 6l also secured to the back wall 3 of the cabinet spaced from the bracket 60.

A cable is thence conducted to a third pulley 62 secured to the side wall 5 andth'ence downwardly and about a further pulley 63 which is carried by the rear wall 3 beneath the bracket 60. The cable thence runs to the ring 59 about the hose 25.

The hose, at its opposite end, is provided with a nozzle 64 having a flaring tip 65 adapted to fit between the flaring jaws 66 provided upon an arm 67, see Fig. 3, pivoted 'at 68 to the alarm box 69 and adapted by mechanism within the box tojswing to the upper position shown in Fig. 12 as soon as the nozzle 64 is removed. An abutment or stop 70 depends from the top of the boxin a position to engage the flaring tip 65 of the nozzle when it is fitted between the aws '66. The swinging of the arm 67 upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 12 is adapted to set the alarm mechanism in the box 69 in motion and to transmit through the wires 71 and 72 the alarm to a central station or fire department. The stop 7 3 extends outwardly from the box 69 as shown in Fig. 7 and is so positioned as to engage the arm 67 when swung down to a substantially horizontal position, thus preventing the nozzle 64 by its weight from further lowering said arm. The jaw 66 next the wall 64 is adapted to engage a pin 74 which projects from a finger 7 5 pivoted as indicated at 76 to a plate 77 secured to the inside of the wall 4 in the upper forward part thereof. I

A stop pin 78 projects inwardly from the plate 77 in position to be encountered by the finger when swung upwardly to a sabaanaau vertical, position where the e The abutment 70 is provided with a rearwardly turned end 80 to engage the nozzle tip. The function of the finger 75 is to project beyond the forward edge of the side wall 4 of the cabinet so as to prevent the closing of the door 6 until the nozzle 64 and alarm apparatus are properly reset. Thealarm box 69 is carried by brackets 82 and 88 projecting respectively from the side 4 and top 2 of the cabinet, but it is obvious that such alarm box maybe supported in any suitable manner.

A block 84'also shown in Fig. 15 is secured as by screws or other fastenings 85 to the rear wall 3 of the cabinet and in this bloc'k 84 are produced a number of openings 86 inclining rearwardly in a downward direction so that their front portions are higher than their lower portions and they are of a size to receive the cylinders 12 of Which a number by this means may be carried within the cabinet to replace a keeper recently broken. In the drawings the biock 84 is shown to have a capacity for holding eight such cylinders, but it is obvious that thenumber of openings or. the size of the block may be varied at will.

In use, assuming the door 6 to be closed and all of the parts in an initial position with the nozzle '64 engaging the fire alarm apparatus and holding the same inoperative, while the water valve is closed, should a fire be discovered one may first remove the heavy bar 18 from its hook 20 at the side of the cabinet and using this bar may break the frangible cylinder or-keeper 12 which maintains the door 6 locked. As soon as the keeper is broken the door is free to be swung open and in doing so the rod 52 is pulled outwardly.

By reason of the engagement of the shoulder 54 with the top portion of the eye 50, the locking dog 37 will also be pulled forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2 so that its toe 38 will be removed from the notch 33. The nozzle 64 is lifted from the jaws 66 and the hose carrier 24 swung outwardly about its pivot rod 26 to the position shown in Fig. 4 which allows the hose 25 to be drawn freely from the outer end thereof and the nozzle carried to the desired point of emergeney.

In lifting the nozzle 64 from the jaws 65, the arm 67, see Fig. 7, is free to be pulled upwarlly to the position shown in Fig. 12 and the apparatus within the box 69 thereupon turns in an alarm. Also, the finger 75 is allowed to descend to the position shown in Fig. 12. The removal of the hose from the rack-24L causes the weight of such hose to devolve on the cable 58 as indicated in Fig. 4, thus pulling upon the cable and causing it to be drawn taut through its I various pulleys, which will operate upon the valve arm 31, causing such arm, to be swung toward the rear wall of the cabinet and in so doing to open the water valve 29 per? mitting the water to flow into the hose 25.

In the act of opening the door Gthe cam portion 55 of the bearing 52 will ride beneath the abutment 56 which will cause the bar 52 to be depressed disengaging the shoulder l from the upper wall of the eye 50 and allowing the same to pass through the eye to the position shown in Fig. 1. This will release the dog 3'? to the action of its spring 44: so that it will be drawn rearvardly in the manner indicated in Fig. l. After the fire has been extinguished the hose 25 is folded upon the carrier or rack 24 and the same is pushed inwardly into the cabinet. Should it be attempted to close the door 6 before the fire alarm apparatus is reset and the nozzle 64 suspended from the gaws 66, the projecting finger 75 will prevent this.

The nozzle 64 must therefore be properly reset within the aws 66 after drawing the arm 67 down against the stop 73 to its proper horizontal initial position. This will also automatically raise the finger 75 so that the door may be shut. Before the door is shut the valve arm' l is drawn outwardly by the handle 36 or at least so far forward that it will put the outer free end of the bar 34 into position to be engaged by the upper angle brace 8 on the door 6. The engagement of these parts is shown in Fig. 8 and such. engagement causes the valve to be closed and the arm 31 to be swung forwardly in such a manner that the dog 87 may re-engage the notch 33.

A spring 87 depends from the top 2 ot the cabinet and is positioned to be engaged by the arm 31 when the same swings fullv forward. The arm 31 in this full forward position compresses the spring 87 slightly so that, as soon as the dog 37 is pulled forwardly in the act of opening the door 6, the spring 87 may thereupon move the arm 31 to a slight rearward position sufficient to prevent a reengagement by the dog 37 of the notch 33in case the door 6 is swung wlde open quickly which would free the dog from the rod 52. v p

I A drain pipe 88 is secured to the pipe 27 below the valve casing 28 so as to carry off any water left in the pipe after the valve 29 is closed. 1

A fresh frangible cylinder 12 is selected from the block 84 and by swinging the keeper plate 1- outwardly about its pivot pin 15 the cylinder may be let through the eyelets 13 pushing before it any fragments of the broken cylinder which do not freely drop therefrom by gravity. The intermediate portion of the cylinderis held in the fingers until the spring 16 automatically returns the plate 14 to initial position whereupon the shoulder 17 will hold the keeper cylinder 12 in place.

The apparatus is then in re-set position in readiness for future actuation.

The cabinet construction houses all of the various parts so that they may be placed outdoors without injury thereto and may be kept in an operative condition whenever emer ency demands. The cabinet also avoids any unauthorized tampering with the part" without entailing the penalty of breaking the frangible keeper. The apparatus therefore alfords all of the security of present lire alarm boxes, and in addition to turning in the alarm it provides a hose and an automatically opened valve at all times in readiness to extinguish the fire.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a water service pipe, a valve therein, a movable arm connected to actuatesaid valve, a hose connected to the service pipe, means actuated by the hose for swinging said arm to open the valve, a movable dog'normally locked with said arm, and means for moving said dog out of locked relation with said arm and for subsequently releasing said dog, and means for restoring the dog as soon as released to initial position substantially as described.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a water service pipe, a valve therein, a movable arm for actuating said valve, a hose connected to the pipe, means between the hose and arm for swinging the latter, a. dog normally locked with said arm, means for moving the dog from the locked position and for subsequently releasing said dog, and means acting on said arm for moving the same to prevent re-engagement of the dog therewith when released from said last named means, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a water service pipe, a valve therein, an arm for actuating said valve, means for moving said arm, a hose consaic nected to. the servicepipe, a dog normally locked with said.ar1'n, a bar adapted to withdraw the dog, from engagement. with the arm and tor subsequently releasing the dog,

combination of a pipe, a valve therein, an 10.

actuating arm for the valve, a hose connectedto the pipe, means for moving said arm, latch means normally engaged with l arm to preventmovement ot the same, a bar initially acting to withdraw said latch means from engagement with said arm, means whereby said bar may be subsequently dis-engaged from said latch means, and means for moving'the arm to prevent re engagement by the latch means when released from said bar, substantially as described. e

5. In a device of the kind described, a

pipe, a valve therein, an actuating arm for the valve, a hose, means for moving said actuating arm in a dlrection to open the valve, means to move said arm to close said valve, a dog normally locking said arm against movement, resilient means normally tending to move'said arm through a small degree on its initial opening movement, and means for withdrawing the dog from engagement with the arm and for subsequently releasing the dog, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a pipe, a valve therein, actuating means for the valve, a hose connected to the pipe, a dog locked with said actuating means, a movable bar slidably connected to said dog and having a shoulder adapted to lock with the dog to remove the dog from engagement with said actuating means, and means whereby said shoulder may be removed from its locked engagement with said dog, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a pipe, a valve therein, actuating means for the valve, a hose connected to the pipe, a swinging dog normally locked with said actuating means, a swivel eye car ried by said dog, a bar slidably mounted through said eye and having a shoulder adaptedto lock with an upper portion of the wall of said eye, said bar having a cam portion thereon, and an abutment against which the cam is adapted to ride for moving the bar and causing disengagement of said shoulder from the eye wall, substantially as described.

8. In adevice of the kind described, a

cabinet, an openable door therefor, a water service pipe entering, said cabinet, a hose normally held in the cabinet and. connected to said pipe, a valve in the pipe, actuating means for the valve in the cabinet, a dog normally locked with said actuatingmeans,

and means connected between tlie door and said dog for withdrawing the dog from engagement with the actuating means, sub stantially as described. i

QQIn a device of the kind described, a cabinet, an openable door therefor, a service pipeentering the cabinet, a hose normally resting in the cabinet, and connected to said pipe, a valve includedin the pipe, actuating means therefor, a dog normally locked with the actuatingmeans, a bar pivotally connected with the door, and having a sliding movement with respect to the dog, (Jo-operating means on the bar and dog for initially lockingthe same together, means whereby the bar may be subsequently released from the locked relationwith the dog, and means whereby the dog may be returned to initial position, substantially as described.

10. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a cabinet, an openable door therefor, a service pipe entering the cabinet,a valve included therein, a hose connected to the pipe and normally lying in the cabinet, an arm for actuating said valve, means connected to said arm and adapted to project in the path of the door when closing whereby said arm may be swung to close the valve, a dog normally locked with said arm, means connected to the door and acting when the door is opened-to first re-, move the dog from engagement with the valve arm and to subsequently release the dog, yieldable means for moving said arm to prevent re-engagement by the dog when released, and resilient means for returning the dog in the opposite direction when released, substantially as described.

11. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a cabinet, a door hinged thereto, a service pipe entering the cabinet, a valve therein, a hose connected to theservice pipe, a movable carrier for the hose in the cabinet, an actuating arm for the valve, a flexible connection between said arm and hose, a dog normally locked with said arm, a bar pivotally connected to said door, a swivel eye on the dog engaged by said bar, said bar having a shoulder adapted to interlock with said swivel eye, said bar having a cam projection thereon, and an abutment held by the cabinet in the path of said cam projection, substantially as described.

12. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a cabinet, an openable door therefor, a fire alarm apparatus with in the cabinet, a hose within the cabinet, a

the combination of a cabinet, an openable door therefor, a pivoted finger in the cabinet adapted when unrestrained to swing outwardly beyond the front of the cabinet and prevent the closing of the door, a fire alarm apparatus Within the cabinet including a pivoted arm adapted to act on said finger, to

Withdraw the same from the path of the door, a hose Within the cabinet, and a nozzle for the hose adapted to hold said arm in an 10 initial inoperative position, substantially as described.

EDWARD ERASTUS FERGUSON. 

